


you don't give up (you grow)

by lavi0123



Series: wake that spirit, i wanna hear it [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang (Avatar)-centric, Aang Week 2021, Gen, Prompt 3: Avatar State/Cycle, also the cycle of elements and avatars is SO FASCINATING to me!, and you can't tell me they weren't encouraging aang when he most needed them, even in the small (seemingly insignificant) moments, they were always there with him like older siblings, welcome to my love affair with bolding and italics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:28:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29661777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavi0123/pseuds/lavi0123
Summary: No, he’s not afraid of the wind letting him down. He’s afraid of letting it down, letting Gyatso and the other monks down. The other monks, who sit behind Gyatso, scrutinize him, and anxiety swells in Aang’s chest.You can do this. For Gyatso...for the wind. For your destiny.He unwinds his arms from the structure, closes his eyes, inhales deeply, and lets go.Or: Aang struggles with every element at some point in his life. Luckily, the other Avatars are all too happy to encourage him.
Relationships: Aang & Gyatso (Avatar), Aang & Kuruk (Avatar), Aang & Kyoshi (Avatar), Aang & Roku (Avatar), Aang & The Gaang (Avatar), Aang & Yangchen (Avatar)
Series: wake that spirit, i wanna hear it [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175876
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34





	you don't give up (you grow)

**Author's Note:**

> Three guesses which song the title is from XD

“You can do it, Aang!” Gyatso calls to his pupil, arms spread wide and eyes full of faith. Aang looks down at him from where he clings on to the structure. “Just let go, trust the wind!”

But trust is not the issue here. Aang has grown up trusting the wind, after all–why should now be an exception?

No, he’s not afraid of the wind letting him down. He’s afraid of letting _it_ down, letting Gyatso and the other monks down. The other monks, who sit behind Gyatso, scrutinize him, and anxiety swells in Aang’s chest.

“Tell you what,” Gyatso says. “If you manage to fly, you and I can have a surprise together. How does that sound?”

Aang brightens. Gyatso’s surprises are always the best. “Okay!” He chirps, taking a deep breath. **_You can do this. For Gyatso...for the wind. For your destiny._ **

He unwinds his arms from the structure, closes his eyes, inhales deeply, and _lets go_.

The wind takes him, and at first he’s falling, fast and hard. If he were anyone else, he’d be afraid.

But he’s Aang. He’s an airbender, has been ever since he was three years old and sneezed so hard he flew up from the ground to the top of the Temple. So, with eyes still closed, he takes a deep breath, leans into the wind, and _smiles_.

He jolts to a stop...then slowly rises back up. Only when his motion stops altogether does he open his eyes.

He’s about halfway up the length of the structure, but far enough away that he can’t quite reach it. The monk’s eyes are wide, and Gyatso’s grinning so brightly that it warms Aang’s heart to see.

“That’s my boy!” Gyatso smiles. “That’s my Aang!”

**_Well done, Aang. We knew you could do it._ **

The voice sounds oddly feminine, but he doesn’t dwell too much on it, too enthused at the joy of his mentor and father.

Aang will learn of her, a few years from now–and one day, he will _know_ her–as Avatar Yangchen.

* * *

He takes to water a bit more easily.

“Oh.” Katara’s eyes widen as Aang streams the water and forms a huge wave within seconds. “You’ve...taken to it quickly, I see.”

“Well you had to figure it out on your own,” Aang explains with a grin, “while I’m lucky to have a great teacher!” Relief spreads through him as he bends the water with ease. _Will all the elements be this easy to learn? Maybe we can afford to slow down for a bit…_

Katara smiles slightly. “That’s...that’s nice, Aang.”

He will attribute this success to Katara (it’s not like he can attribute it to the knowledge of the Avatars, since he struggled enough with Earth and Fire for that to not be the reason). She, however, will disagree, as soon as a month later.

Aang stands in the middle of the water, blushing as he lets Katara maneuver him into a strong stance. She’s come so far from the girl who broke his iceberg by accident–more refined and controlled in her bending–and he’s so proud and honored to be taught by her.

“All right,” she prompts, “let’s see what you’ve got.”

He smiles, closes his eyes, then spreads his arms and _breathes._

**_The water is an extension of yourself, like extra arms or legs. Not a weapon per se, but a tool._ **

He bends up a chunk of water and splits it into eight conjoined water whips–the octopus, as Katara calls it.

He opens his eyes to Katara’s delighted laugh. “You make a fine octopus, Pupil Aang.”

**_Better than I was at your age, to be sure._ **

He starts a little, and the octopus falls apart.

Katara’s smile drops into concern. “Aang, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he assures with a smile. “Just got distracted.”

That voice was male–different from Yangchen's voice–yet not Roku. Another Avatar? _Who are you?_

Aang will meet him, at his lowest point, and know him as Avatar Kuruk.

* * *

“ _Focus_ , Twinkletoes!”

“Ah!” Aang dives to the side as a rock sails past, slamming into the wall behind him.

Toph huffs. “What did I tell you? You have to face the earth head-on, like a rock!”

“But I’m not a rock,” Aang insists. “I’m a person.”

“Well, be both!” Toph scoops up another rock from the earth before he can protest, throwing it at him, and Aang dodges artfully again, his heart pounding.

“Toph,” Katara tries again, “maybe this isn’t the best way–”

“No offense, Sugar Queen, but stay out of this. Rock-like, Twinkletoes!”

Aang, blindfolded, stretches his senses as far as they can go. Sokka’s club shakes in his grip as he tries to find the rocks in the air, the way Toph does.

The problem is, he’s not Toph.

“Rock-like!”

 _Rock-like, she says. What does that even_ mean _?_

**_It means to be steady and strong. Plant yourself among the earth like a tree, and move for no one but yourself. The earth is a part of you, so move with it, not against it._ **

The sound of impact startles him, and he removes his blindfold to find a rock in pieces on the ground. He looks at Toph, and she smiles.

Later that day, she builds herself into a shield of rock, and Aang breathes deep, plants himself like a tree, and _shoves_.

**_Well done. Now, don’t let up, or you’ll lose it. Always stay on your guard and firm in the earth._ **

That one is female, but not the voice from his childhood, nor is it Roku, nor is it the mystery male Avatar. Aang recognizes her from Avatar Day–Avatar Kyoshi–and his eyes widen. _How many of you are there?_

* * *

“Again!”

Aang exhales, shaking out his aching limbs. He jumps up, spinning into a kick that blasts fire, then blasts fire with his left then right fist.

“You’re slow,” Zuko notes, “and your flames are weak. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” Aang insists. “ I just…”

_I just can’t stop thinking about what Jeong-Jeong said. Even now, even after seeing the dragons and dancing...I can’t stop thinking of all the pain I could cause._

**_Fire is a part of you, Aang, as natural as breathing or any of the other elements. Whether you deal damage with it is entirely up to you._ **

Aang startles at the voice in his head, familiar as ever. _Roku?_

Zuko scrutinizes him for a moment, concern etched in his brow, then says, “Try again.”

So Aang closes his eyes, spreads his arms, and _breathes_.

**_You’ve mastered three elements already, one of which was your polar opposite. And you’ve met the dragons with my great-grandson. You can do this, Aang._ **

He jumps up, spins into a kick, feels the warmth inside him and pushes it out through his foot. He lands cleanly in an open stance, left foot in front, and quickly jabs out flame from his left fist, then his right.

He opens his eyes to Zuko’s small smile and approving nod.

“Not bad... _Pupil_ Hotman.”

Aang’s eyes widen at the teasing from Zuko, but he grins and fires back quickly with, “Thanks, Sifu Hotman!”

 _And thank you_ , he thinks to Roku, to Kyoshi, to Kuruk, to Yangchen, whose names and faces rise to his memory abruptly and easily, as familiar as old friends even though he's never (yet) met them. _Thank you for trusting me._

**Author's Note:**

> Have I mentioned how much I love Aang's relationship with each of the Avatars (mostly the last four)? Because I do <3
> 
> Also, why isn't there an Aang & Kuruk tag?? I know they've only had one conversation but like...same for the others?? Justice for Kuruk is basically what I'm saying (and no, I haven't read the Kyoshi novels yet, but they're on my TBR! And I'm sure I'll love him even more afterward).
> 
> I also love the idea of Aang needing to learn the elements in a cycle: air, water, earth, fire. I don't know if that's actually canon, but I saw it in a fic once (can't remember which, it's been so long), and it's my headcanon now.
> 
> Also, Aang breathing is generally a consistent theme in every element he bends (for obvious reasons), but I drew special attention to it with water and fire because I wanted to contrast how Aang approaches them similarly, despite them being opposite elements, yet bends them each in their own styles. He looks at polar opposites and sees them for what they are but also masters them just as he mastered the others. Kinda like how he changed everyone he met along the way, no matter if they were friend or foe. It made more sense in my head XD


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